Essex County, New Jersey

County Distress Index: Serious · 72.2 | 851,117 people · 2nd most distressed in New Jersey
American Default Research

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Essex County, NJ shows significant household financial distress with a score of 72.2 — 305th nationally out of 3144 counties. The primary driver is Housing Cost Burden, where a large share of households spend more than 30% of income on housing. Within New Jersey, it ranks 2nd of 21 counties. It scores higher than all 5 of its neighboring counties.

The Numbers Behind the Score

The CDI measures five statistically derived factors of household financial distress, PCA-weighted. Essex County's primary driver is Housing Cost Burden at 96.1 — worse than roughly 96% of U.S. counties.

Housing Cost Burden Primary driver 96.1
Rent-Burdened (30%+) 96
Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+) 95
Mortgage-Burdened (30%+) 99
Homeownership Rate 99
Consumer Credit Distress 69.6
Debt in Collections 59
Medical Debt 32
Auto Loan Delinquency 85
Credit Card Delinquency 81
Uninsured Rate 75
Subprime Credit Population 81
Economic Vitality 66.9
Wage-to-Rent Ratio 80
Rent-to-Income Ratio 99
Business Formation Rate 5
House Price Change (YoY) 26
Legal Distress 63.0
Bankruptcy Filing Rate 63
Structural Poverty 50.6
Unemployment Rate 87
Poverty Rate 56
Income vs. State Median 88
Child Poverty Rate 53
Disability Rate 18
Transfer Income Dependency 10

Scores are percentile-based: 50 = national median, higher = more distressed.

Neighbors and Peers

Neighboring Counties

CountyScoreZonevs. Essex County
Essex County, NJ 72.2 Serious —
Passaic County, NJ 68.0 Serious -4.2
Hudson County, NJ 61.3 Elevated -10.8
Union County, NJ 58.9 Elevated -13.3
Bergen County, NJ 41.3 Normal -30.8
Morris County, NJ 27.4 Healthy -44.7

Population Peers

CountyScoreZonevs. Essex County
Jefferson County, AL 72.2 Serious -0.0
Marion County, FL 71.9 Serious -0.3
Bell County, TX 72.5 Serious +0.3
East Baton Rouge Parish, LA 72.6 Serious +0.5
Marion County, IN 73.0 Serious +0.9

Download Data

Export all distress indicators for Essex County as a CSV file.

Find Help in Essex County

HUD-Approved Housing Counselors

Free foreclosure prevention and financial counseling near Essex County.

CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF NEWARK
Newark
973-596-4100 Website
Financial CounselingFair HousingHomeless/DisplacementRental Help
CONSUMER CREDIT AND BUDGET COUNSELING, DBA NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR DEBT MANAGEMENT
Montclair
888-738-8233 Website
Foreclosure PreventionMortgage HelpFinancial CounselingFinancial Counseling
CREDIT.ORG - NEW JERSEY BRANCH
Roseland
201-365-4197 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingPre-PurchaseHomebuyer Education
LA CASA DE DON PEDRO
Newark
973-624-4222 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase
NEW JERSEY CITIZEN ACTION
Newark
973-643-8800 Website
Foreclosure PreventionFinancial CounselingHome Improvement/RehabPre-Purchase

See all counselors in New Jersey →

Find an Attorney

New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service offers a lawyer referral service for bankruptcy, foreclosure defense, and consumer rights.

New Jersey State Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-792-8315

Free Legal Aid

Legal aid organizations serving Essex County residents at no cost.

Legal Services of New Jersey 1-888-576-5529
Community Health Law Project
New Jersey State Bar Foundation — Lawyer Referral Service 1-800-792-8315
Central Jersey Legal Services, Inc. (732) 249-7600
Essex-Newark Legal Services Project, Inc. (973) 624-4500
Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, Inc. (908) 231-0840
Northeast New Jersey Legal Services Corporation (201) 792-6363
South Jersey Legal Services, Inc. (800) 496-4570

Self-Help Resources

NJ Courts Foreclosure Self-Help Center Official NJ Courts self-help guidance on foreclosure proceedings

American Default Research does not endorse, rate, or rank any provider. Verify attorney credentials with your state bar.

Need legal help? Find a foreclosure defense attorney in New Jersey →

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Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the distress score for Essex County, New Jersey?

    Essex County has a County Distress Index score of 72.2 out of 100, placing it in the Serious zone. It ranks 305th nationally out of 3,144 counties and 2nd in New Jersey out of 21 counties.

  • What drives financial distress in Essex County?

    The primary driver of distress in Essex County is Housing Cost Burden, where the county scores 96.1 out of 100. This domain is measured by indicators including Rent-Burdened (30%+), Severely Rent-Burdened (50%+), Mortgage-Burdened (30%+).

  • How does Essex County compare to neighboring counties?

    Essex County (72.2) can be compared to its 5 neighboring counties: Passaic County, NJ (68.0); Hudson County, NJ (61.3); Union County, NJ (58.9).

  • How is the County Distress Index calculated?

    The County Distress Index uses PCA-weighted percentile scoring across five statistically derived factors: Consumer Credit Distress (47.5%), Housing Cost Burden (22.3%), Structural Poverty (13.6%), Economic Vitality (9.2%), and Legal Distress (7.4%). Each county's indicators are ranked against all 3,144 U.S. counties. A score of 50 means the county is at the national median; higher scores indicate greater distress.

  • How often is the CDI updated?

    Annually, aligned to Census American Community Survey and Urban Institute Debt in America release windows — the slowest-moving source inputs. Between annual refreshes, faster-cadence indicators (BLS unemployment, QCEW wages) may drive light mid-year updates if a specific component moves meaningfully. Current data compiled April 14, 2026; next full refresh early 2027.

  • What does the Serious zone mean?

    The CDI divides counties into five zones: Healthy (below 46), Normal (46–55), Elevated (55–71), Serious (71–86), and Crisis (86 and above). Essex County's score of 72.2 sits in the Serious zone (71–86).

  • What data sources power Essex County's CDI score?

    Essex County's CDI score draws on Urban Institute Debt in America (Equifax credit-bureau panel), U.S. Census Bureau (American Community Survey 5-year, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates), Bureau of Labor Statistics (LAUS, QCEW), U.S. Courts Administrative Office (F-5A bankruptcy filings), and HUD Fair Market Rents. Every number on this page traces to one of these public sources.

  • What is the population of Essex County?

    Essex County, New Jersey has a population of approximately 851,117 (2023 Census estimate), classified as a large county.